Florida A&M took advantage of three errors, three hit-by-pitches, and two wild pitches, to defeat Hampton 8-0 in five innings advancing them into the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament Championship game, Friday afternoon at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

 

The Lady Rattlers and Lady Pirates both finished with three hits each.

 

FAMU (28-30) had three players to finish with three hits each in Nicole Terryn, Joyce Harold and Jasmine Donaldson.

 

Hampton (26-23) was led by Tiffany Brents with two hits, followed by Jada Jeffries with one.

 

Amanda Reyes (20-15) in her fourth game on the mound for the Lady Rattlers picked up the win as she allowed three hits and struck out seven in five innings of work.

 

Amanda Black for the Lady Pirates toed the mound for the fifth time in the tourney and for the third time today, giving up three earned runs and three hits in four innings of work.

 

Rhianna Green scored FAMU’s first run in the bottom of the of first on a Hampton infielders error.  Shayla Clark was hit-by-a- pitch with the bases loaded scoring Alesha Wells, followed by a Harold single up the middle that allowed Brianna Weaver to score.

 

Raven Johnson would hit into a fielder’s choice to score Terryn, followed a Lady Pirate infielder’s error which allowed both Harold and Johnson to score to give the Lady Rattlers the advantage at 6-0.

 

FAMU would plate two more runs in the bottom of the third as Donaldson singled up the middle scoring Harold and the Donaldson would score on a Hampton infielder’s error for the 8-0 final.

 

The Lady Rattlers coming out of the loser bracket will have to defeat Bethune-Cookman twice tomorrow to be crowned the 2009 MEAC Softball Tournament Champion, while the Lady Wildcats will have to only win one, to win the tourney.  The first game is set for a 1 p.m., with the second and deciding game if necessary set for a 3:30 p.m. start.

 

Admission for the 2009 MEAC Softball Championship is $5 for children, students and seniors. Ticket prices for the entire tournament are $12.

 

For more information on MEAC Softball, log on to www.meacsports.com.